34 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



fished anions the niisi'ating salmon. With this cnKh^ device two men sncoeeded 

 in taking li tons of trout in one day. As fishing continued tlie numbers talcen 

 gradually decreased several hundred pounds each day to the time of our de- 

 parture, when tlie best rapture possible was from 3U0 to 1,000 pounds per day. 



A check was maile from time to time, in 5-minute periods, on the numbers 

 of salmon ascending during the height of the run, and it was estimated that 

 about 400,000 fish passed upstream during the period of 20 days. This consti- 

 tuted the run, figuring a steady escapement during the whole 24-hour day. This 

 figure, wiiile not absolutely correct, we feel is as close an estimate as can be 

 made inider the circumstances. 



The salmon adlicted with fungus were closely checked by myself and each 

 employee individually, and we estimated that 5 per cent unable to swim the 

 current in the river would die in the lower lake in a very short time. A wound 

 caused by gill nets in salt water rapidly becomes covered \\ith fungus after the 

 fish enters fresh water. When the fish is l)adly cut the wound putrefies rapidly, 

 and on arrival at the head of the first lake tliere will be a circle of fungus 

 one-half inch or more in depth and several Indies wide around the body of tlie 

 fish. Another H per cent were noticed with numerous gill-net marks around the 

 body, but in these the fungus was not in an advanced stage. However, while 

 these fish have strength to ascend the river, 1 am positive that few, if any, ever 

 reach the spawning stage. 



KVICHAK AND ILIAIMNA SECTION. 



It was planned to operate early on the Kvichak River, but owing to the im- 

 possibility of securing help and an accident to one of our boats en route, which 

 was repaired at tiie cannery of the Alaska-Portland Packers' Association, that 

 plan was lUK-essarily abandoned. 



For various reasons it was impossible for Mr. Gardner, who had his equip- 

 ment assembled at Naknek, to reach the Uiamna district before June 27, and at 

 that date tiie water was extremely high in tlie streams with occasional fioods 

 overfiowing the banks. Very little help was iiossible, but every effort was made 

 witli gill nets; seines could" not be used owing to the high water. Good work 

 was accomplished by iNIr. Gardner under discouraging conditions. 



The writer divided bis time between the Wood River and Naknek fields until 

 it was necess4iry for employees at those points to discontinue work, owing to tlie 

 departure of cannery boats on which they had passage to the States; then he 

 proceeded to Iliamiia, arriving August Kf. On the Uiamna River, where our 

 first camp was established, Init few large trout were taken, and those mostly 

 at the mouth of the river in the lake. All taken here were Dolly Vardens, 

 with llie exception of a few steelhead trout and whitefish. The high water had 

 the effect of scattering the schools and but sniiill numbers were noticed gather- 

 ing in the pools. The trout, unlike tiiose captured in other localities, were 

 long and slender, which made it impossible to gill many in our nets, and. 

 moreover, the ascent of the salmon necessitate<l the nnnoval of the nets from 

 the water so as to prevent injuring tlie ascending salmon. 



As tiie water receded the trout were noticed schooling in the eddies. Traps 

 were improvised, aliout 5 feet loug and 2 feet in diameter, from wooden hoops 

 covered with chicken wire, with an opening in one end similar to the oiiening 

 in lobster pots. Tliesc traps were baited and set in the pools where they 

 caught manv thousand fish. In the first one set we took 150 fish in two hours. 

 Miiny worked through the wire mesh, necessitating doubling the wire screen, 

 thus' making the mesh smaller, and no further trouble was experienced. 

 These bait traps have the advantage of catching the predatory fish without 

 in any way attracting or interfering with the siilmoii. They can also be fished 

 in any water and are efficient ui> to the t'me of adive spawning. 



The people in the vicinity were imju-essed with Ihese traps and wished to 

 use this method in their own fishing. Therefore, on our departure, we dis- 

 tributed the traps on hand and supplied the other residents with material to 

 niiike one or two each. 



After the pools in the vicinity were cleared of trout, which work was 

 accomplslied in short order without interfering with the salmon, it became 

 necessary to seek new locations for operations, and the near-])y creeks and 

 rivers were examined with this end in view, and also to obtain all salmon 

 data possible. 



In accordance with previous plans, we arranged to proceed to Lake Clark, 

 arriving at the portage between Uiamna Lake and Newhalen River on August 



